Arborio and Rice in Saskatchewan

Arborio Rice

Arborio rice is a firm, short-grain starchy rice that gets its name from the Italian town of Arborio, where it was originally cultivated.

Today, Arborio rice is also grown in California and Texas. Risotto is a dish that can be made with Arborio rice. It is commonly cooked in Italy and eaten as a first course, using broth to make it creamy. Our recipe, ‘Easy {Pea}sy Risotto’ can be found in the 2012 Winter edition of Prairies North Magazine.

Did you know that we grow rice in northern Saskatchewan? Wild, huh? Wild rice that is! The name ‘wild rice’ is actually misleading. It’s technically a cereal grain and a member of the grass family. Tall stalks of the rice grow in the shallow, isolated lakes and streams of Northern Saskatchewan and are harvested in late August and early September.

Originally brought to Saskatchewan in the 1930’s to feed the duck and muskrat population, wild rice, or mânomin as it’s known in Cree, helped support hunting and tourism in Saskatchewan’s north. Today, wild rice is considered a “specialty crop” and, according to the Government of Saskatchewan, “Saskatchewan produces more pounds of wild rice than any other province in Canada.”

Wild rice is very much a comforting winter dish. Its distinctive nutty flavor goes extremely well with roasts and game. It makes an excellent pilaf mixed with pine nuts, pecans or mushrooms. Go wild and give it a try!